Countdown begins

The Pictou Landing First Nation gym was packed full of community members and supporters this morning to celebrate the official one year countdown date to the closing of the Northern Pulp Boat Harbor Treatment Plant.

Red shirts speckled the crowd as people collected and put on the T-shirts that read “honour the Boat Harbour Act” on the back and A’se’k, the Mi’kmaq name for the harbour. Speeches from band members, Chief Andrea Paul and children from the local school held the attention and brought tears from those in attendance.

“I speak for all of my people, when I come I carry all the people of my community with me,” said Paul during a tearful speech to the audience.

“We’re at a point where we’re going to get some closure from this.”

Not only did the community put time and effort into hosting the celebration but they invited the greater community to get to know them by creating a time line and memory wall displays just for the celebration.

Fancy shawl dancers and jingle dress dancers helped bring the spirit of the Mi’kmaq culture into the celebration as long as a drum group that played a number of songs.

To hear more about the celebration and what was said check out The Advocate’s next publication for more of the story and photos.